If you’ve ever been to award-winning Asian fusion restaurant Best Quality Daughter, you might have thought to yourself, “How can I cook like this?”
We spoke to Jennifer Hwa Dobbertin, BQD’s owner and chef. She gave us a peek into her kitchen, where we discovered the secret to easy dinners, her favorite spots to pick up the best ingredients, and a tease at her newest concept.
3 ingredients currently in Jennifer Dobbertin’s kitchen
Fish sauce — Dobbertin adds this sauce to almost every meal and it is “a great item to add to round out dishes.”
Tony Chachere’s — “Old Bay and Tony C’s are on everything I do. Add some chili flakes and any meal is delicious in my opinion.”
Oyster sauce — In addition to standard fish sauce, Dobbertin says that “oyster sauce — combined with coconut cream, curry paste, choice of broth, and veggies — makes an easy (and delicious) veggie stir fry.”
3 gadgets in Dobbertin’s kitchen
Misono UX10 Chef Knives — ”In the world of chef knives, they’re not too expensive. It has a Japanese blade with a light European handle, and keeps sharp really well. I have one at the restaurant, in my home, and always use it. ”
Tabletop fryer — “They’re a hassle to clean but comes in handy for parties and recipe testing.”
Instant read thermometer — “They’re cheap, go on your fridge, and is an essential tool when cooking any type of protein.”
4 local brands Jennifer Dobbertin loves
The Magpie — With this eatery in walking distance of her home, for Dobbertin, it’s an easy option for dinner. Plus, she’s friends with owners Eugene Sanchez and Chef Sue Kim.
Liberty Bar — “I like the people who run the show. It’s a staple in my rotation.”
Guajillo’s The Shortcut to Mexico — “This is my guilty pleasure food. I get the same thing every time. It’s authentic Mexican food.”
Lincoln Heights H-E-B — “To be more specific, before their renovation. It has the best selection of seafood and meats. They have a lot of the same products from Central Market as well as all of the essentials.”
Coming soon
The construction walls and branding for Jennifer Dobbertin’s cocktail bar concept — Jue Let — are up. The new venture is named after the private chef for the famed Beard family.
Dobbertin, who’s a 2025 James Beard semifinalist for Best Chef in Texas, said in a statement “When I was researching James Beard, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that a Chinese immigrant had such a strong influence on his upbringing and the trajectory of his culinary career. I also learned he had a Chinese nanny, grew up with another Chinese family, and was surrounded by Chinese culture during his childhood. I felt it was important to pay homage to that fact.”
At the time of writing, the team is in the early stages of menu development and an opening date has not been released
Hungry yet? Do yourself a favor and make a reservation at Best Quality Daughter, and tell them SATXtoday sent ya.
